Education: Schools should plan now for life without cash

Reading that Surrey is the only local education authority in the South East not to be promised extra cash to plug holes in school budgets raises the question as to how I and fellow county councillors should react.

Further representations to Education and Skills Secretary Charles Clarke may be made, but realistically we must now plan for life without further cash.

This year, some schools have used surpluses carried forward, others have run into deficit with a requirement to repay in future years. The overall carried forward £14m surplus has been largely exhausted.

Next year, Surrey schools will need far more than the anticipated four per cent from the Government to avoid staff cuts.

If the “substantial injection of funds” from the Department of Skills and Education that county council leader Nick Skellett believes to be needed (News & Mail, November 5), is not forthcoming, should council tax be increased to provide school funding for 2004/5 equal in services, social services, the fire and rescue service? This seems likely to mean a double-digit increase in the county council’s share of council tax.

Readers’ views would be appreciated.

JOHN PINCHAM,

Member of finance committee at Claygate and Hinchley Wood primary schools.